Bill O'Reilly: The truth about guns, murder and children in the USA

Emotions still running high after 20 children were murdered in Newtown, Connecticut. The President, Congress and we the people all want to do something constructive to make sure this horror doesn't happen again. The problem, it will happen again no matter what we do. But that doesn't mean we should do nothing.

However, before acting, let's take a look at the facts. Mass shootings in the USA are actually on the decline. According to criminologist Grant Duwe from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, mass murder in America was most severe in 1929. In recent years, there were 32 mass killings in the 1980s, '42 in the '90s and 26s in the first decade of this century.

According to the Department of Justice, murders of school age children have declined by 42 percent in the past 15 years. And the latest stats show that just one percent of the murdered kids died at school.

Now, that's not to diminish the horrible crimes we have seen in Connecticut and other places recently. All Americans should understand that violence like that harms America's image throughout the world and we do have a gun culture here. No question about it.

If the feds can tighten up gun laws without violating constitutional rights, they should do so. "Is It Legal" is investigating one glaring question in Connecticut. How could the mother of the killer have acquired an AR-15 when Connecticut has tough gun laws? The ladies will be here in just a few moments.

To build a better country, a safer country, we don't need knee-jerk reactions after heinous crimes. We need smart solutions.

Listen to this exchange at the White House yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, ABC NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You name one thing the President has done in the last four years to help remove weapons of war from our streets?

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The President supports the assault weapons ban. And the reinstatement of this assault weapons ban. But we have to --

TAPPER: One measure, one act. One to remove the weapons of war he talks about.

CARNEY: Again, he supports legislation that is designed to ban some weapons. But as you know, this is a complex -- this is a complex issue and that requires complex solutions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Mr. Carney is correct, it is complex issue. And all new legislation should be based on facts and constitutional protections. It's interesting to see the far-left in America calling for a ban of all hand guns. That is clearly unconstitutional. Their answer to that? Well, the Constitution is outmoded. That's very dangerous.

But the far-left have been pushing that point of view for years. The truth is they don't like the Constitution. Because they want the federal government to have far more power than it already has. And they use appalling crimes like Newtown to push that agenda.

In the months to come, "Talking Points" will take a very hard look at how the Obama administration handles the public safety issue vis-a-vis guns, as always, our analysis will be based on facts.